Pick Up And Placement Tools For Items

ABSTRACT

An item with fibers may be picked up and placed using a tool head with hooks that engage the fibers. The tool head may comprise at least one hook portion and at least one contact surface adjacent to the hook portion. The hooks that engage the fibers may extend from the hook portion. The tool head may be actuatable between at least a first configuration that permits the hooks to engage the fibers and a second configuration that does not permit the hooks to engage the fibers. An item may be picked up at a starting location with a tool head in the first configuration and placed at a placement location by moving the tool head and then actuating the tool head to the second configuration.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a tool for picking up and placingpliable items. More particularly, the present invention relates to apickup tool that uses hooks to engage fibers of a pliable item to pickup and place the pliable item, for example for construction of a shoeupper.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

While automated manufacturing processes have benefitted a number ofindustries, the automated manufacturing of soft goods made from pliableitems has proven challenging to automate. For example, the manufacturingof shoes and, more particularly, shoe uppers, has long involved a largeamount of hand labor. Because shoe uppers are often formed largely orentirely from multiple pliable items that are affixed together to formthe completed shoe upper, even the fundamental manufacturing operationof picking up a part for a shoe upper and appropriately placing thatpart relative to other components has been a challenge to automate.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to automated systems to pick upand place pliable items. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to systems that use at least the hook portions of a hook andloop fastener system to pick up and place one or more pliable item withfibers that may be engaged by the hooks. Pliable items picked up andplaced using systems and methods in accordance with the presentinvention may particularly comprise components of a soft good, such as ashoe upper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The present invention is described in detail below with reference to theattached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a tool head in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a further example of a tool head in accordance withthe present invention;

FIGS. 4-7 illustrate examples of various shapes that may be used fortool heads in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 8-11 illustrate examples of various arrangements of examples ofhook portions and contact surfaces that may be used for tool heads inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 12A-12D illustrate an example of a tool head being actuated inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 13A-13D illustrate a further example of a tool head being actuatedin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 14 illustrates a further example of a system in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a method in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIGS. 16A-16C illustrate an example of the engagement and disengagementof the fibers of a pliable item in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary side profile of a pick-up tool with atool head having actuators for engaging/disengaging the hook portionsand for moving the tool head in general, in accordance with aspects ofthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides systems and/or methods to pick up andplace one or more pliable items. A pliable item processed in accordancewith the present invention may possess a plurality of fibers. A pliableitem in accordance with the present invention may be comprised entirelyof fibers that are knit, woven, or otherwise combine to form the pliableitem, or may be formed only in part from fibers with other materials,such as sheets or membranes, forming part, all or most of a pliableitem. The fibers used to engage and move a pliable item with systemsand/or methods in accordance with the present invention may ultimatelybe removed from all or part of the pliable item in further processingafter placement, if desired.

Systems in accordance with the present invention may comprise at leastone hook portion with a plurality of hooks extending from the surface ofthe hook portion. The hooks extending from the at least one hook portionmay comprise the hook portion of a hook and loop fastener system. Thesize, shape, configuration, etc. of the plurality of hooks may beselected, at least in part, based upon the size and arrangement offibers found in the pliable item to be processed. Hooks in accordancewith the present invention may be formed from a variety of materials,such as plastics, nylons, metallic, ceramic, etc. At least one contactsurface or pusher may be adjacent to one or more of the at least onehook portions. The contact surfaces/pushers may lack the plurality ofhooks extending from the hook portion(s) and, therefore, not engagefibers of the pliable item. The hook portion(s) and the contactsurface(s)/pusher(s) may be provided on a tool head.

The contact surface and hook portions may be positional relative to oneanother so as to permit the tool head to be placed in one of at leasttwo configurations. In a first configuration, the contact surface(s) maybe positioned such that the plurality of hooks of the hook portion(s)may at least partially engage fibers of a pliable item. In a secondconfiguration, the contact surface(s) may be positioned relative to thehook portion(s) such that the hooks of the hook portion(s) are unable toengage the fibers of a pliable item. In a system and/or method inaccordance with the present invention, a tool head may be placed in afirst configuration at a first location to permit at least some of thehooks to at least partially engage fibers in a pliable item. Afterengaging the pliable item with at least some of the hooks, the tool headmay be moved with the pliable item engaged by the hooks of the hookportion(s) and moved to a second location. In this fashion, systems andmethods in accordance with the present invention may be used to, forexample, engage and remove pliable items from a starting location, suchas a supply area, and a place those pliable items at a placementlocation, such as an assembly station, in an appropriate desiredarrangement for assembly into a partially or fully formed shoe upper orother soft good.

In some examples of systems and/or methods in accordance with thepresent invention, a contact surface(s) or pusher(s) may be moved by anactuator while the hook portion(s) of a tool head remain static. Inother examples of systems and/or methods in accordance with the presentinvention, the hook portion(s) may be moved by an actuator relative tocontact surface(s) or pusher(s). In yet further examples of systemsand/or methods in accordance with the present invention, an actuator maymove both of the hook portion(s) and the contact surface(s)/pusher(s) toplace a tool head in various configurations. Further, a tool head usedwith systems and/or methods in accordance with the present invention maybe capable of being placed in more than two configurations.

The number, shape, size, arrangement, and configuration of hookportion(s) may vary in accordance with the present invention. In someexamples, a hook portion may have a size and shape that corresponds tothe size and shape of a pliable item to be positioned using a systemand/or method in accordance with the present invention. In someexamples, a single hook portion may be sufficient to engage fibers in apliable item in accordance with the present invention. In otherexamples, a plurality of hook portions may be used to engage the fibersof a pliable item in accordance with the present invention. For example,a plurality of non-adjacent hook portions may be provided on a toolhead, with the plurality of non-adjacent hook portions being ofsufficiently small size such that multiple hook portions of theplurality of hook portions may be expected to engage the fibers of anygiven pliable item to be placed in accordance with the presentinvention. For example, a tool head used in systems and methods inaccordance with the present invention may provide a plurality of hookportions arranged in a checkerboard fashion with adjacent contactsurfaces lacking hooks with a scale considerably smaller than thepliable item to be processed, for example, with each hook portion havinga dimension less than one-half or one-quarter of the pliable item to beprocessed.

Similarly, contact surface(s)/pusher(s) used in conjunction with systemsand methods in accordance with the present invention may have differentsizes, shapes, configurations, and arrangements. In some examples, asingle contact surface may be provided that adjoins one or more hookportions. In other examples, a single contact surface may be providedthat adjoins a single hook portion. In yet further examples, a pluralityof contact surfaces may adjoin a single or many hook portions. Inaccordance with the present invention, contact surface(s)/pusher(s) mayhave sizes and/or shapes that permit an adequate number of hooks in anyassociated hook portion(s) engage sufficiently with fibers of a pliableitem.

Systems and methods in accordance with the present invention may providea tool head positional in three dimensions to engage a pliable item,move the pliable item, and place the pliable item at a differentlocation. A variety of apparatuses, such as robotic arms, x-y tables,swinging arms, and the like, may be employed to position a tool head inthree dimensions. Further, the positioning of a tool head in twodimensions comprising a plane substantially parallel to the planedefined by the pliable item may be performed independent from movementof the tool head relative to a line perpendicular to that plane. Forexample, an x-y table may be used to position a tool head at a desiredlocation in a horizontal plane. Meanwhile, the tool head may be moved tovarious heights relative to the x-y table (or any other point ofreference, such as a surface holding or receiving a pliable item)independent from its horizontal positioning.

In some examples, systems and methods in accordance with the presentinvention may place a tool head in a first configuration that permits atleast some hooks in at least one hook portion to engage fibers of apliable item at a first height and a first location. After engaging atleast some of the fibers of the pliable item with at least some of thehooks of the hook portion(s) of the tool head, the pliable item may belifted by the tool head to a second height. At the second height, thetool head may move the engaged pliable item in a horizontal plane over aplacement location and may then lower the pliable item to a third heightat the placement location. At the placement location, the tool head maybe actuated to the second position to disengage the hooks of the hookportion(s) from the fibers of the pliable item, thereby placing thepliable item at the placement location. Further, a tool head may berotatable to permit a pliable item to be rotated while retained in orderto place the pliable item at the placement location with a desiredorientation. The desired placement location at which a pliable item isplaced using systems and methods in accordance with the presentinvention may be defined relative to other components of a fully orpartially assembled product, such as a shoe upper.

A variety of systems may be used to define and/or identify the locationsat which a tool head should engage and/or disengage a pliable item. Forexample, vision systems utilizing cameras, lasers, or other types ofdetectors may be used to identify pliable items to be picked up and/orto locate the position at which to ultimately place the pliable item.Alternatively/additionally, a computing device may be provided withpredetermined locations to pick up and/or place a pliable item forcontrolling the operations of systems and/or methods in accordance withthe present invention. Any type of predefined location system, locationdetection system, or other technology may be used to determine and/ordefine a starting location (and orientation) to pick up a pliable itemand/or a placement location (and orientation) to place a pliable item inaccordance with the present invention.

The fibers of a pliable item that are at least partially engaged byhooks extending from a hook portion of a tool head in accordance withthe present invention may comprise any type of fiber. For example,natural or synthetic fibers may be woven or knitted into a textile thatis used, in whole or in part, to form the pliable item. Natural fibersmay be, for example, any type of cotton, wool, linen, etc., whilesynthetic fibers may be any type of man-made fiber, such as any type ofnylon, polyester, plastic, etc. Further, fibers may be formed from oneor more filament of one or more type of material. Non-woven andnon-knitted materials with fibers may also be used. Further, fibers maybe added to an otherwise non-fiber containing pliable item in order topermit that pliable item to be processed using systems and methods inaccordance with the present invention. The configuration of the fibersof a pliable item, the size of those fibers, the density of thosefibers, the accessibility of those fibers, the strength of those fibers,and other properties may be determined in conjunction with the size,density, amount, strength, and other properties of the hooks to beprovided on a hook portion of a tool head in systems and/or methods inaccordance with the present invention.

In some examples, a pliable item may comprise a material, such as arubber, plastic, cast polyurethane, etc. with a fiber containingmaterial (such as a knit or woven textile) bonded to the item formedfrom rubber, plastic, cast polyurethane, etc. The fiber containingmaterial may be permanently or temporarily bonded to such a rubber,plastic, cast polyurethane, etc. In such a case, systems and/or methodsin accordance with the present invention may be used to remove materialsor components of a shoe or other manufactured product from a mold orform for further processing and/or assembly.

Referring now to FIG. 1, an exemplary system 100 in accordance with thepresent invention is illustrated. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1,a robotic arm assembly 110 may comprise a positionable arm 120 thatpositions a tool head 130. Arm 120 may be rotatable as indicated byarrows 125 to at least a second position 123, for example. Tool head 130may be further movable along the length of the arm 120 along a track 132as indicated by arrow 135. Alternatively, tool head 130 may move only ina single direction, such as along track 132, or may move only along oneor more tracks at an angle relative to each other rather than or inaddition to be rotatable. Tool head 130 may optionally be rotatable aswell, permitting tool head 130 to rotate on arm 120. Accordingly, arm120 may be positioned over a first station 140 to engage and pick up apliable item (not shown) and then arm 120 may rotate 125 and/or toolhead 130 may move along track 132 while engaging the pliable item toplace the pliable item at a second station, where the pliable item maybe disengaged with the arm 120 at the second position 123. In someexamples, first station 140 may comprise a supply source for pliableitems to be arranged at a second station 150, which may comprise astacking or assembly station. However, first station 140 and secondstation 150 may comprise any type of station performing any of a varietyof functions, such as a demolding station for parts made from rubber,plastic, cast polyurethane, etc., with a fiber containing materialaffixed to those parts. Further systems and methods in accordance withthe present invention may involve more than two stations. For example,second station 150 may comprise only one of a plurality of stations atwhich pliable items obtained from first station 140 may be placed. Aplurality of stations such as second station 150 may be used to assemblea plurality of the same or different products, to sort pliable items bytype, size, shape, or for other purposes. Further, more than a singlestation, such as first station 140, may provide a source of pliableitems. Also, a single station may be both a source and a destination forpliable items in accordance with the present invention.

Systems and methods in accordance with the present invention may utilizetool heads that provide at least one hook portion adjacent to at leastone contact surface or pusher. A hook portion may provide a plurality ofhooks having a size, shape, configuration, and/or arrangement selectedto engage the fibers of the pliable item to be picked up and positioned.The contact surface/pusher may comprise a surface without hooks that,therefore, does not engage the fibers of the pliable item. The toolhead, or at least the hook portions/contact surfaces of the tool head,may be actuated between at least a first configuration and a secondconfiguration. In the first configuration, the hooks of a hook portionmay be able to engage the fibers of a pliable item. In a secondconfiguration, the contact surface may be positioned relative to a hookportion so as to prevent the hooks extending from the hook portion fromengaging the fibers of the pliable item. Examples of different types oftool heads that may be used in accordance with the present invention areillustrated with regard to FIG. 2 and to FIG. 3.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a tool head 230 may comprise a hook portion 210with a plurality of hooks 211 extending from its surface and a pusher220. In the example shown in FIG. 2, tool head 230 comprises a singlehook portion 210 of an essentially annular shape that is adjacent to andsurrounds circular pusher 220. The hook portion 210, or any hookportion, that is functional for contacting an item to be manipulated(e.g., a pliable item) is comprised of a hook contacting surface, whichis the surface of the hook portion able to engage the item. Similarly,the pusher 220, or any other contact surface, that is functional forcontacting an item to be manipulated is comprised of a contactingsurface, which is the surface of the pusher that is able to disengagethe item. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, pusher 220 may be movedrelative to hook portion 210 to extend beyond the hooks of hook portion210 or may be withdrawn to a position behind the hooks 211 of hookportion 210. Pusher 220 may be moved by an actuator that is hydraulic,mechanical, electromagnetic, or operates under any other principle.

Referring now to FIG. 3, another example of a tool head 330 for use inaccordance with the present invention is illustrated. In the example ofFIG. 3, tool head 330 comprises a hook portion 310 that is essentiallycircular in shape with a plurality of hooks 311 extending from itssurface. In this example, hook portion 310 is surrounded by a pusher 320that is essentially annular in shape. In the example of FIG. 3, anactuator, which may be similar to the actuator described with regard toFIG. 2, may move hook portion 310 relative to pusher 320 to permit thehooks 311 extending from hook portion 310 to engage the fibers of apliable item in a first configuration or to be unable to engage thefibers of a pliable item in a second configuration.

While the examples of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 illustrate a tool head thatmoves a central portion between a first configuration and a secondconfiguration, with the central portion being a pusher 220 in FIG. 2 andthe central portion being a hook portion 310 in FIG. 3, the outerportion of a tool head may be actuated, either instead of or in additionto the central portion. In some examples, both a hook portion and acontact surface or pusher may be moved simultaneously in differentdirections in order to actuate a tool head between a first configurationand a second configuration. Further, additional configurations beyondthe first configuration and a second configuration may be used insystems and methods in accordance with the present invention. Forexample, some applications of the present invention may vary the amountof the hooks of a hook portion permitted to engage the fibers of apliable item based upon the nature of those fibers and/or the nature ofthe pliable item to be engaged. By way of further example, someapplications of the present invention may provide hooks having varyingsizes, either in the same or different hook portions, such that someconfigurations permit some, but not all, of the hooks to engage fibersof a pliable item, thereby permitting such a tool head to engagedifferent hook portions with fibers in different configurations.

The shape of one or more hook portion and/or contact surface of a toolhead used in systems and/or methods in accordance with the presentinvention may be varied without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. For example, a hook portion and/or contact surface may bevaried in conjunction with the size, shape, and/or configuration of apliable item to be processed. Further, the size, shape, and/orconfiguration of the hook portion of a tool head used in systems and/ormethods in accordance with the present invention may be varied basedupon the size, shape, and/or configuration of the fibers of a largerpliable item to be processed in accordance with the present invention,i.e., when fibers comprise only a portion of the pliable item to beprocessed. FIGS. 4-7 illustrate a few examples of differentconfigurations and shapes of hook portions that may be used inaccordance with the present invention to match the size, shape, and/orconfiguration of a pliable item or the fibers of a pliable item. Forexample, FIG. 4 illustrates a triangular hook portion 410 with hooks 411and a pusher 420. By way of further example, FIG. 5 illustrates ahexagonal hook portion 510 with hooks 511 and a pusher 520. In yet afurther example, FIG. 6 illustrates a star-shaped hook portion 610 withhooks 611 and a pusher 620. In yet a further example, FIG. 7 illustratesa circular hook portion 710 with hooks 711 and a pusher 720. The variouspushers illustrated in FIGS. 4-7 may take shapes different from theshape of the hook portion to which that pusher is adjacent. Further, anyshape may be used for a hook portion, particularly in conjunction withvariously-shaped pliable items/fiber portions of pliable items. As canbe seen in FIGS. 4-6, for a non-circular hook portion the rotation of atool head may impact the engagement of hooks from the hook portion withthe fibers of a pliable item.

Tool heads for use in accordance with systems and/or methods of thepresent invention may use more than one hook portion and/or more thanone contact surface. For example, FIG. 8 illustrates a tool head 830with a plurality of contact surfaces 820 adjacent to and surrounded by ahook portion 810 with a plurality of hooks 811 extending from itssurface. In the example of FIG. 8, the contact surfaces 820 may beactuated relative to hook portion 810, or vice versa, or both hookportion 810 and contact surfaces 820 may be actuated between a firstconfiguration and a second configuration.

Referring now to FIG. 9, a further example of a tool head 930 that maybe used for systems and methods in accordance with the present inventionis illustrated. Tool head 930 provides a plurality of hook portions 910with a plurality of hooks 911 extending from their surfaces. A contactsurface 920 may be adjacent to and surround hook portions 910. In theexample of FIG. 9, hook portions 910 may be actuated relative to contactsurface 920, or contact surface 920 may be actuated relative to hookportions 910, or both hook portions and contact surface 910 may besimultaneously actuated between a first configuration and a secondconfiguration.

Referring now to FIG. 10, yet a further example of a tool head 1030 inaccordance with the present invention is illustrated. The example ofFIG. 10 illustrates a tool head 1030 with a single hook portion 1010with a plurality of hooks 1011 extending from its surface and aplurality of rectangular contact surfaces 1020 surrounded by hookportion 1010. In the example of FIG. 10, contact surfaces 1020 may beactuated relative to hook portion 1010, hook portion 1010 may beactuated relative to contact surfaces 1020, or both contact surfaces1020 and hook portion 1010 may be simultaneously actuated between afirst configuration and a second configuration.

Referring now to FIG. 11, a further example of a tool head 1130 inaccordance with the present invention is illustrated. In the exampleillustrated in FIG. 11, a plurality of hook portions 1110 may have arectangular shape with a plurality of hooks 1111 extending from theirsurfaces. A single contact surface 1120 may surround hook portions 1110.In the example of FIG. 11, hook portions 1110 may be actuated relativeto contact surface 1120, contact surface 1120 may be actuated relativeto hook portions 1110, or hook portions 1110 and contact surface 1120may be simultaneously actuated between a first configuration and asecond configuration.

It is further contemplated that the hook portions 1110, while depictedas linearly continuous in FIG. 11, may instead be discontinuous in thelinear directions. For example, a single hook portion may be comprisedof several discrete portions having a plurality of hooks. It iscontemplated that any size, shape, and orientation of discrete portionsmay be formed into a hook portion, in an exemplary aspect.

Referring now to FIGS. 12A-12D, an example of actuation of a tool headbetween a first configuration and a second configuration is illustrated.In the first configuration illustrated in FIG. 12A, a hook portion 1210having a plurality of hooks 1211 provided thereon extends beyond acontact surface 1220 of a tool head 1230. Therefore, the hooks 1211 ofhook portion 1210 may engage the fibers of a pliable item 1290 once toolhead 1230 is lowered a distance 1250 to bring the hooks 1211 of hookportion 1210 into contact with the fibers of pliable item 1290; this maybe referred to as an engaging configuration. It is contemplated that thehook portion 1210 and the contact surface 1220 may form in combinationthe engaging surface, regardless of the configuration they are placed(e.g., an engaging configuration or a disengaged configuration)

As shown in FIG. 12B, tool head 1230 has been moved the distance 1250 topermit the hooks of hook portion 1210 to contact the fibers of pliableitem 1290. As shown in FIG. 12B, tool head 1230 has been moved to engagepliable item 1290, but tool head has not been actuated from the firstconfiguration, so the hooks 1211 of hook portion 1210 may engage thefibers of pliable item 1290. In FIG. 12C, the tool head 1230 haspartially actuated from the first configuration to the secondconfiguration. As can be seen in reference to FIG. 12C, hook portion1210 has been partially withdrawn into tool head 1230 (or tool head 1230has been moved over hook portion 1210) while contact surface 1220 hasnot moved. Accordingly, tool head 1230 as shown in FIG. 12C is in aconfiguration intermediate between the first configuration that permitsthe hooks 1211 of hook portion 1210 to engage the fibers of pliable item1290 and a second configuration (i.e., a disengaged configuration) thatdoes not permit the hooks 1211 of hook portion 1210 to engage the fibersof pliable item 1290.

The second configuration of tool head 1230 is illustrated in FIG. 12D.As shown in FIG. 12D, hook portion 1210 has been fully actuated to placetool head in the second configuration to withdraw hook portion 1210 intotool head 1230 such that contact surface 1220 prevents hooks 1211extending from hook portion 1210 from engaging fibers of pliable item1290. The first configuration depicted in FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B may bephysically located at a different position than the second configurationillustrated in FIG. 12D and the intermediate third configurationillustrated in FIG. 12C. For example, FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B may depictthe tool head 1230 initially engaging a pliable item 1290 at a startinglocation, while FIG. 12C and FIG. 12D may illustrate the disengagementof the pliable item 1290 from the tool head 1230 after pliable item 1290has been moved to a placement location.

Referring now to FIGS. 13A-13D, a further example of the actuation of atool head 1330 in accordance with the present invention is illustrated.As shown in FIG. 13A, a tool head 1330 may be placed in a firstconfiguration (i.e., engaging configuration) such that hooks 1311extending from a hook portion 1310 may contact and engage fibers of apliable item 1390 if tool head 1330 is moved a distance 1350 towardpliable item 1390. As shown in FIG. 13B, after tool head 1330 has beenmoved the distance 1350 the hooks 1311 extending from hook portion 1310may engage fibers of pliable item 1390 because contact surface 1320 iswithdrawn behind hook portion 1310 in the first configuration of toolhead 1330.

As shown in FIG. 13C, contact surface 1320 may be moved from the firstconfiguration. FIG. 13C illustrates an intermediate or thirdconfiguration wherein contact surface 1320 has been actuated intoalignment with hook portion 1310 to contact pliable item 1390. As shownin the example of FIG. 13D, after the actuation is complete, tool head1330 may be placed into the second configuration (i.e., disengagedconfiguration) wherein contact surface 1320 prevents hooks 1311extending from hook portion 1310 from engaging the fibers of pliableitem 1390. In this example, the pliable item 1390 may be at a startinglocation in FIG. 13A and FIG. 13B when it is engaged by the hooksextending from hook portion 1310. The pliable item 1390 may be moved toa placement location when tool head 1330 is actuated to disengagepliable item 1390 from hook portion 1310, as shown in FIG. 13C and FIG.13D.

Referring now to FIG. 14, a further example of a system 1400 inaccordance with the present invention is illustrated. Similar to theexample system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1, the example system 1400 mayprovide a mechanical system 1410 with a positionable arm 1420. Tool head1430 may be positionable along arm 1420 as indicated by arrows 1432.Tool head 1430 may also be rotated 1436 on arm 1420 to be in a desiredrotational alignment to engage and/or disengage a pliable item. Toolhead 1430 also may be moved vertically as indicated by arrows 1434. Arm1420 may be rotated 1425 from a first position to a second position1423. A station 1440 may retain a pliable item 1490 at a startinglocation. Tool head 1430 may comprise at least one hook portion and atleast one contact surface, such as but not limited to those described inexamples herein. Tool head 1430 may be actuatable between a firstconfiguration that permits at least some hooks extending from hookportions to engage fibers in pliable item 1490 and a secondconfiguration that prevents hooks from a hook portion from engagingfibers of pliable item 1490. As shown in the example of FIG. 14, arm1420 may be rotated as indicated by arrows 1425 to permit tool head 1430to be positioned at a first location to engage fibers of pliable item1490 at the starting location. Arm 1420 may thereafter be rotated asindicated at position 1423, with tool head moved to a placement location1433 to disengage a pliable item 1493 at a placement location on asecond station 1450. In the example of FIG. 14, starting location has afirst height 1472 while placement location has a second height 1474 thatis different from first height. Further, in the example of FIG. 14,system 1400 may move a pliable item 1490 from a starting location to aplacement location at a third height 1476 that is higher than both thefirst height 1472 and the second height 1474. Alternatively, secondheight 1474 may be greater than first height 1472, rather than as shownin the present example wherein first height 1472 is greater than secondheight 1474.

Referring now to FIG. 15, an example method 1500 in accordance with thepresent invention is illustrated. In step 1510 a tool head may bepositioned at a starting location. The starting location may have apliable item to be positioned, with the pliable item having or beingformed, at least in part, from fibers. The tool head positioned in step1510 may have at least one hook portion having a plurality of hooks witha size, shape, orientation, configuration, and/or composition to permitthe hooks to engage the fibers of the pliable item. In step 1520, thefibers of the pliable item may be engaged by at least some of the hookson the tool head. For example, step 1520 may bring a tool head with afirst configuration that permits hooks of a hook portion to engage thefibers of a pliable item into contact with the pliable item in thestarting location.

In step 1530, the pliable item may be lifted from the starting locationusing the tool head. In step 1540 the pliable item may be moved toanother location. Steps 1530 and 1540 may be performed by moving thetool head while at least some of the hooks of the hook portion of thetool head engage at least some fibers of the pliable item. In step 1550the pliable item may be lowered to a placement location. The placementlocation may be determined relative to other items, whether pliable orrigid, with which the pliable item is to be assembled. In step 1560 thetool head surface may be actuated to disengage the hooks from the fibersof the pliable item. Step 1560 may bring a contact surface beyond thehooks of a hook portion to disengage the hooks from the fibers of thepliable item.

Method 1500 may pick up a pliable item for assembly into a soft good,such as a shoe upper, at a starting location. A starting location maybe, for example, a supply station or other source of components of ashoe upper. Method 1500 may thereafter engage the pliable item, pick upthe pliable item, move the pliable item to a placement location, anddisengage the pliable item. The result of method 1500 may be to place apliable item adjacent to another component of a soft good (such as ashoe upper) for further assembly.

Referring now to FIGS. 16A-16C, the engagement of fibers 1691 of apliable item 1690 by hooks 1611 of a hook portion 1610 of a tool head1600 is illustrated. In FIG. 16A, a pair of contact surfaces 1620 and ahook portion 1610 are in a first configuration that permits at leastsome of a plurality of hooks 1611 extending from hook portion 1610 toultimately engage the fibers 1691 of a pliable item 1690. However, anynumber of hook portions may be used in conjunction with any number ofcontact surfaces in systems and methods in accordance with the presentinvention. The fibers 1691 of pliable item 1690 may comprise any type ofnatural or synthetic fiber that may be woven, knitted, spun, orotherwise formed into all or part of pliable item 1690. Further, fibers1691 may be added (permanently or temporarily) to a pliable item formedfrom other types of fibers, a membrane, a sheet material, etc. In FIG.16B the hooks 1611 have been brought into contact with the fibers 1691of pliable item 1690 to permit at least some of the hooks 1611 to atleast partially engage fibers 1691. The arrangement of the tool head1600, the hooks 1611, and the pliable item 1690 shown in FIG. 16B may beachieved by lowering a tool head 1600, as described in examples above,or by raising a station or other surface retaining pliable item 1690 toengage hooks 1611 with fibers 1691 of pliable item 1690, or somecombination thereof. FIG. 16C shows the tool head 1600 actuated into asecond configuration that prevents hooks 1611 from engaging fibers 1691,affectively disengaging pliable item 1690 from tool head 1600. Theactuation of tool head 1600 to the second configuration illustrated inFIG. 16C may be achieved by moving hook portion 1610, by moving contactsurfaces 1620, and/or by moving both hook portion 1610 and contactsurfaces 1620. The example depicted in FIG. 16C may be at a differentlocation than the example depicted in FIG. 16A and/or the exampledepicted in FIG. 16B. For example, the depiction shown in FIG. 16A mayoccur at a starting location, while the example depicted in FIG. 16B maybe at either the starting location or an intermediate point while thepliable item 1690 is being moved, while the example depicted in FIG. 16Cmay occur at a placement location.

FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary side profile of a pick-up tool 1700with a tool head having actuators for engaging/disengaging the hookportions and for moving the tool head in general, in accordance withaspects of the present invention. The tool head depicted in FIG. 17 isexemplary in nature. Alternative movement mechanisms and alternativestructures are contemplated to achieve aspects provided herein. Forexample, two engaging actuators are depicted for engaging anddisengaging a secured item from the hook portion by the contact surface.However, more or fewer engaging actuators may be implemented inalternative aspects. Further, it is contemplated that differentstructural members and components may be utilized to achieve a result ofa moveable tool head and a moveable relationship between the hookportions and the contacting surface.

The pick-up tool 1700 is comprised of tool head portion and a toolmovement and support structure portion. The tool head portion, in thisexample, is comprised of a head frame 1702, an engaging actuator 1706,an actuator support 1708, a head support 1712, and a connecting member1722, which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. The toolmovement and support structure portion is comprised of a head actuator1714, a head actuator support 1716, a frame member 1718, and a headguide 1720, which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. Whilespecific components are identified with the tool head portion and thetool movement and support structure portion, it is appreciated that somecomponents may be omitted and additional components may be included toachieve a pick-up tool with disengageable hook portions.

Returning to the tool head portion, it is contemplated that anystructure provided herein may be utilized. For example, the tool headsof FIGS. 10 and 11 may be implemented in exemplary aspects. Stateddifferently, it is contemplated that the hook portions may bemanipulated by the engaging actuators relative to a contact surfaceand/or the contact surface may be manipulated by the engaging actuatorsrelative to the hook portions, as depicted in FIG. 11 and FIG. 10,respectively.

The head frame 1702 provides support and a volume for recessing theengaging surface portion of the tool, such as the hook portions. Forexample, the head frame 1702 may be a structure having side portions anda top portion and a bottom portion. As depicted in FIG. 17, the bottomportion forms a contact surface 1704 that is useable for disengaging asecured item from a hook portion as the hook portion is recessed betweenthe contacting surface and a top surface of the head frame 1702.However, as previously indicated, it is contemplated that the bottomportion of the head frame 1702 may form the hook portions, in analternative aspect.

Coupled with the head frame, such as at the top portion, is an actuatorsupport that maintains an engaging actuator 1706. The engaging actuator1706 is fixedly coupled with the head frame 1702 by way of the actuatorsupport 1708. The engaging actuator 1706 is positionally coupled withthe engaging portion of the tool head, such as the hook portion in thisexample. The positionally coupling allows the engaging actuator 1706 toraise and lower the hook portion relative to the contacting surface 1704such that when the engaging actuator 1706 positions the hook portionbelow the contact surface 1704 to engage with and secure an item.Additionally, it is contemplated that the engaging actuator 1706positions the hook portion above the contact surface 1704, as iscurrently depicted, to disengage a maintained item from the hookportion. The engaging actuator 1706 may be driven may any meanspreviously discussed, such as pneumatic pressure, hydraulic pressure,electrical current, and the like. In the current example, a pneumaticactuator having a plurality of fluid connections 1710 is depicted as theengaging actuator 1706; however alternative mechanisms are contemplated.

The tool head portion is positionally coupled with the tool movement andsupport structure portion by way of a connecting member 1722 extendingbetween the head frame 1702 and a head support 1712. The head support iscoupled with a head actuator 1714 and coupled with a head guide 1720. Asthe head actuator 1714 extends or retracts, the head support 1712 ismoved relative to the tool movement and support structure portion. Toaid in position guidance during this movement, the head guide 1720 isslidably maintained by a head actuator support 1716, such that the headguide 1720 slides through a channel formed with the head actuatorsupport 1716. This movement of the head actuator 1714 causes the toolhead portion to move in an up and down motion to position the head toolproximate an item or surface to be manipulated by the hook portions ofthe tool head.

The head actuator 1714 is coupled with the head actuator support 1716.The head actuator support 1716 is adjustably coupled with a frame member1718. It is further contemplated, as provided in FIG. 14 herein above,that the frame member 1718, or a comparable portion, may be coupled witha robot, such as a multi-axial robot, in an exemplary aspect. Aspreviously provided, it is contemplated that one or more features may beomitted or added to one or more portion of the pick-up tool assembly, inan exemplary aspect.

While the present invention has been described with regard to specificexamples herein, various configurations of tool heads may be used inaccordance with the present invention. A tool head may provide a singlehook portion to engage a pliable item having a size, shape, and/orconfiguration resembling the hook portion, but a plurality of hookportions may be used to generally engage a pliable item. For example, aplurality of hook portions may be provided in an array, a graduateddistribution pattern, an irregular distribution pattern, or in any otherarrangement such that hooks from more than one hook portion may beanticipated to engage a single pliable item using systems and/or methodsin accordance with the present invention. By engaging the fibers of apliable item with the hooks of multiple hook portions, a more secureengagement of the pliable item may be attained, and the pliable item maybe better placed at a placement location without the pliable itemshifting laterally or vertically during movement. A tool head maymanipulate a pliable item in ways beyond simply moving a pliable itemfrom a first starting location to a second placement location. Forexample, a tool head may rotate a pliable item and/or alter the angle ofinclination of a pliable item prior to/while placing the pliable item ata placement location.

Further, a variety of systems may be used to locate, at a startinglocation, a pliable item to engage at a starting location and/or tolocate a placement location at which to disengage a pliable item. Anysort of detection system, such as computer vision systems, may be usedto identify a pliable item to be engaged and/or to identify and locateother components of a soft good with which to place a pliable itemrelative to at a placement location. Alternatively/additionally, thelocation of pliable items to be picked up and/or placed may beanticipated with sufficient precision that those locations may bepredetermined for a system and/or method in accordance with the presentinvention. Computing systems executing computer readable code retainedin computer readable memory may be used to control the operation ofsystems and the performance of methods in accordance with the presentinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:
 1. A pick uptool for engaging, moving, and disengaging an item formed having aplurality of fibers, the pickup tool comprising: at least one hookportion, the at least one hook portion having a plurality of hooksconfigured to engage fibers forming at least a portion of a pliableitem, the hook portion having a hook contacting surface; at least onepusher having a pusher contacting surface; and an actuator that movesthe at least one pusher or the at least one hook portion between a firstconfiguration and a second configuration, (1) the first configurationpermitting the hook contacting surface to extend beyond the pushercontacting surface adapted to allow hooks of the at least one hookportion to engage the fibers forming a portion of a pliable item, and(2) the second configuration permitting the pusher contacting surface toextend beyond the hook contacting surface adapted to prevent the hooksof the at least one hook portion from engaging the fibers of the pliableitem.
 2. The pickup tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one pushersurrounds the at least one hook portion.
 3. The pickup tool of claim 1,wherein the at least one hook portion surrounds the at least one pusher.4. The pickup tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one hook portion hasa shape substantially congruent to the shape of a portion of the pliableitem.
 5. The pickup tool of claim 1, further comprising: a positioningsystem that moves the at least one hook portion and the at least onepusher to a starting location to engage at least some of the fibersforming the pliable item and that moves the at least one hook portionand the at least one pusher to a placement location to disengage thefibers forming the pliable item; and a control system that causes thepositioning system to move the at least one hook portion and the atleast one pusher to the starting location and to the placement location,the control system further causing the actuator to move the at least onepusher or the at least one hook portion to the first configuration topermit the hooks of the at least one hook portion to engage at leastsome of the fibers forming the pliable item at the starting location andcausing the actuator to move the at least one pusher or the at least onehook portion to the second configuration to prevent the hooks of the atleast one hook portion from engaging the fibers forming the pliable itemat the placement location.
 6. The pickup tool of claim 5, wherein thepositioning system further causes: (1) moving the at least one hookportion and the at least one pusher to a first height at the startinglocation, (2) raising the at least one hook portion and the at least onepusher to a second height while moving the at least one hook portion andthe at least one pusher to the placement location, and (3) lowering theat least one hook portion and the at least one pusher to a third heightat the placement location.
 7. The pickup tool of claim 6, wherein thefirst height and the third height are different.
 8. The pickup tool ofclaim 6, wherein the at least one hook portion comprises a plurality ofdistinct hook portions.
 9. The pickup tool of claim 8, wherein the atleast one pusher comprises a single pusher surrounding all of theplurality of hook portions.
 10. The pickup tool of claim 8, wherein theat least one pusher comprises a plurality of pushers.
 11. The pickuptool of claim 6, wherein the at least one pusher comprises a pluralityof distinct pushers.
 12. The pickup tool of claim 5, wherein theactuator moves the at least one pusher relative to the at least one hookportion.
 13. The pickup tool of claim 5, wherein the actuator moves theat least one hook portion relative to the at least one pusher.
 14. Atool for picking up and positioning an item having fibers, the toolcomprising: a tool head having an engaging surface that is adapted tocontact a pliable item to be picked up and positioned, the engagingsurface having at least a first configuration and a secondconfiguration; a contact surface on the engaging surface of the toolhead; at least two non-contiguous hook portions on the engaging surfaceof the tool head, wherein the contact surface extends between the atleast two non-continuous hook portions; each of the non-contiguous hookportions having a plurality of semi-rigid hooks oriented to contact andengage at least a portion of a pliable item with at least some of thehooks extending beyond the contact surface when the engaging surface isin at least the first configuration; an actuator that moves the contactsurface or the at least two non-contiguous hook portions between thefirst configuration and a second configuration, the second configurationpreventing all of the semi-rigid hooks of the hook portions fromcontacting the pliable item by allowing the contact surface to extendcloser to the pliable item than the hooks a positioning system thatmoves the tool head from at least a first location to pick up thepliable item and a second location to place the pliable item; and acontrol system that causes the positioning system to move the tool headto the first location with the tool head surface in the firstconfiguration to contact the pliable item and engage at least some ofthe fibers of the pliable item with at least some of the hooks of the atleast two non-contiguous hook portions, and to cause the positioningsystem to move the tool head to the second location and to cause theactuator to move the tool head surface to the second configuration todisengage the hooks of the at least two non-contiguous hook portionsfrom the fibers of the pliable item.
 15. The tool for picking up andpositioning pliable items having fibers of claim 14, wherein the contactsurface comprises a surface that surrounds at least two non-contiguoushook portions in the first configuration.
 16. The tool for picking upand positioning pliable items having fibers of claim 14, wherein thecontact surface comprises a plurality of non-contiguous contactsurfaces.
 17. A method for picking up, moving, and placing an itemhaving fibers, the method comprising: positioning a tool at a startinglocation, the tool having a surface with at least one hook portion andat least one pusher, the hook portion comprising a plurality ofsemi-rigid hooks that engage the fibers of the pliable item formed fromfibers; lifting the pliable item from the starting location by raisingthe tool while at least some of the plurality of semi-rigid hooksadapted to engage at least some of the fibers of the pliable item; afterlifting, moving the pliable item to a placement location by moving thetool while at least some of the plurality of semi-rigid hooks engage atleast some of the fibers of the pliable item; and placing the pliableitem at the placement location by actuating the at least one pusher orthe at least one hook portion relative to one another such that theplurality of hooks of the at least one hook portion to disengage thehooks of the at least one hook portion from the fibers of the pliableitem.
 18. The method for picking up, moving, and placing a pliable itemformed from fibers of claim 17, wherein the at least one hook portioncomprises a plurality of semi-rigid hooks arranged in a size and a shapethat corresponds to the size and shape of a portion of the pliable item.19. The method for picking up, moving, and placing a pliable item ofclaim 17, wherein the at least one hook portion comprises a plurality ofdistinct hook portions.
 20. The method for picking up, moving, andplacing an item of claim 17, wherein the at least one pusher comprises aplurality of distinct pusher surfaces.